Education Resource Written by Kate Stones A Nets Victoria Exhibition in partnership with The Centre For Cultural Materials Conservation at The University Of Melbourne and supported by Latrobe Regional Gallery Curated by Sherryn Vardy 1 CONTENTS About this Education Resource Planning your visit p.3 Curriculum links and themes p.4 Introduction What is conservation? p.5 The Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation p.7 Sherryn Vardy p.7 An issue of intention: The Keith Haring mural controversy p.8 Key conservation terms p.11 Artist profiles and works with activities and discussion points: Brook Andrew p.14 Penny Byrne p.17 Juan Ford p.20 Ghostpatrol p.23 Claire Anna Watson p.26 References p.29 2 About this Education Resource This education resource is intended for use as a starting point to generate discussion and activities before, during and after Planning your visit a visit to Made to last: the conservation of art. It is designed Before visiting Made to last it is suggested that you to be used in conjunction with information provided in the contact gallery staff to determine the following: exhibition catalogue, gallery wall texts and on the NETS Victoria website. • Opening hours, transport and parking options, cloakroom facilities and admission fees The resource includes an introduction to the exhibition, • Suitability of content for the year level you definitions of key terms, artist profiles, suggested points for intend to bring discussion, activities for students, and references for fur- • Staff availability for introductory talks and tours ther research. Teachers may select relevant aspects of this • Education and public programs, artist talks resource to tailor their own response sheet for use in the etc. that coincide with the exhibition exhibition. Before your visit you may wish to discuss the following with your students: • An introduction and background to issues of conservation in art (see this resource – Introduction) • Your expectations for appropriate behaviour at a gallery, in regards to the safety of both students and artworks, and given that a gallery is a public space 3 Curriculum links and themes Use this list to generate ideas, activities and points for discussion, and where possible contact your local gallery for other ideas and suggestions. Issues around conservation of artworks are especially relevant to students of VCE Unit 4, Studio Arts. It is highly recommended for year 12 students, but would be very useful for year 11 Studio Arts students as an introduction, in preparation for year 12. However this exhibition is relevant to all art students. This document is designed to be used by stu- dents at VELS levels 5 and 6, and VCE Units 1-4, however the material may be easily tailored to suit younger students. Please note, if you are making an in-depth study of the technical aspects of conservation, the Made to last catalogue is an invaluable resource and contains more detailed information than this resource, which takes a broader view of the issues. Visual/Creative/Studio Arts Philosophy, Ethics (Domain: (Domain: Disciplinary Learning) Interdisciplinary Learning - Thinking) • Methods and considerations involved in the • The role of art in society, its’ economic currency conservation of artworks • The ethics of representation, the intensions of the author • Art issues and commentaries (Keith Haring mural conservation controversy) • Our relationship with time – learning from the past, influencing the future • Artists’ practice, ideas and inspiration • The impulse to resist the inevitability of death and decay • Responding to artworks: formal analysis and interpreting meanings and messages Career pathways in the • Exploring artists’ personal and cultural perspectives art industry (Domain: Physical, • Exploring symbols and metaphors expressed in artworks Personal and Social Learning) • Exploring possibilities for materials, processes and techniques • How artists combine employment in the arts industry with a professional practice • How those with an interest in both science and the arts can find a professional niche 4 Introduction materials they work with, with the needs of cultural institu- What is conservation? tions and the intentions of the artist who made the work. Conservation is a term that refers to a fundamental func- For some twentieth and twenty-first century artists, the tion of our culture: how we protect and care for our cultural physical deterioration of an artwork is accepted, and maybe artefacts and artworks (collectively referred to as cultural even be encouraged by the artist. This kind of work can be material). These items form a crucial cultural link between described as ‘ephemeral’, i.e. it has a limited lifespan. This idea our present moment, our past and our future. Taking care of is about the acceptance of mortality – something found chal- objects that carry cultural information is an age-old practice lenging by those from a European cultural tradition – indicat- that can be as complex as the meticulous restoration of a ing the influence of a more Buddhist or Eastern philosophy Renaissance oil painting by a skilled conservator, or as simple on Western culture. as keeping old photographs carefully in an album (or even backing up your computer files!). The objects that we care Some artworks only exist as a list of instructions for their about reflect the values we hold dear. assemblage. Artists such as American artist Sol LeWitt (1928- 2007) and contemporary Australian artist Kerrie Poliness, In practical terms, the word conservation encompasses three provide galleries with a list of instructions on how to recreate main areas: preservation, conservation and restoration. their elaborate wall drawings. This challenges the idea that it is the art object itself that is of primary importance, and Preservation aims to stabilise objects to extend their lives for that there is something unique about the way a particular as long as possible without the need for treatment. Preserva- artist makes a mark. It makes the idea or the concept of the tion enables collections managers and curators to prevent artwork the most important thing. damages so that conservation treatments are not necessary. Conservation involves a treatment program to decrease de- terioration and stabilise an object, with the least possible in- tervention. Restoration involves physical intervention to the structure and materials of the object in order to recreate the original appearance of the work. The term ‘stabilise’ means to halt the process of deterioration of an object as much possible. Everything that has a material existence is subject to changes brought about by its interaction with its environment. Conservators have to juggle the practical possibilities of the A Kerrie Poliness wall drawing being completed (sited at http://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/arts-and-entertainment/article/networks-cells-silos-muma) 5 Claire Anna WATSON, Sortie (still), 2009, video: HD 1920 x 1080 p, 4:42 minutes, Courtesy of the artist Being a professional conservator is a highly skilled occupa- “Made to last: the conservation of art brings together five living tion that requires considerable scientific knowledge, especial- contemporary artists who use a range of complex materials in ly of chemistry. The materials used require careful handling. their work: found, manufactured and conventional. While some Conservators often need to have scientific qualifications to materials a conservator encounters may be unstable, an insta- allow them to understand and predict how various materials bility of a different kind is evident in the themes of the five artists will behave. included in Made to last involving the impact of humanity on the world, past, present and future.” Sherry Vardy, curator The conservator’s job has become increasingly complex and interesting over time. During the twentieth century new types of paint (such as acrylics) became available; artists’ relationships with materials changed as they explored new art forms such as the ready-made, performance, conceptual and installation art. Photographic documentation of artwork has become a standard practice for artists, for communica- tion purposes, but also to maintain an accurate record of the way the artwork looked when it was first made. Conservators now discuss with artists what their intentions were for their artwork, and how to best proceed with conservation issues. Some artists choose to have their work made or ‘fabricated’ by profession model makers or fabricators. The conserva- tor can also draw on the expertise and experience of these professionals in making conservation decisions. 6 “I love that conservation is an interdisciplinary field in which you learn many different skills and are able to bring your own experience to the profession. The combination of art and science is very exciting; forensics for artwork (I do enjoy watching murder mysteries!). There is a lot of problem solving and investigation as well as highly detailed work, which I find fasci- nating. As conservation is a relatively new and specialised profession many of the tools are borrowed from other profes- sions. For example, conservators use dental and medical tools for fine work, and a range of scientific equipment for sample testing - the techniques are constantly evolving.” Sherryn Vardy, curator Sherryn Vardy The Centre for Cultural Sherryn has a Bachelor (1998) and a Graduate Diploma (1999) Materials Conservation of Visual Arts, majoring in painting, from Monash University and will complete her Masters